Air grip

ABSTRACT

Applicant&#39;s invention comprises an adjustable grip on a sport&#39;s racket, paddle, bat, mallet or club, which is made adjustable by having the grip expandable by the introduction of air under the grip over the handle, which is expandable to any size desired.

[0001] This invention is described in my provisional patent applicationNo. 60/280,028, filed Mar. 30, 2001.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A number of sports utilize implements that have handles. Golfclubs, tennis rackets, paddle ball rackets, baseball bats, polo mallets,and table tennis paddles are just a few. Having the proper handle sizefor a player's racket or club is essential for maximum performance.Hands are not created equal and come in all sizes. Every person's handsize if different and rackets and clubs are manufactured in standardsizes. For instance, tennis rackets come in sizes such as 3½ inches, 3⅝inches, 3¾ inches, etc. In some sports, the sizes are only small, mediumor large. None of these may be the optimum size for a particular player,and do not give an exact fit for everyone's comfort.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Applicant's invention comprises an adjustable grip on a racket orclub, which is made adjustable by having the grip expandable by theintroduction of air under the grip, which is expandable to any sizedesired. Air pump adjustability already exists in athletic shoes, suchas the “Reebok Pump”, where the wearer puts on the shoes and pumps theinner cushioning until it fits snugly to his or her foot. Ski boots arealso made which can be pumped up with air to provide a snug comfortablefit. This has never before been applied to rackets, clubs, mallets, etc.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the invention areas follows:

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustablegrip for any sport's racket, club, mallet, etc.

[0006] Another object of the invention is to provide a simple method ofsizing the grip on any sport's implement having a handle, by theintroduction of air to expand the circumference of the grip to the exactsize desired by the player.

[0007] These, as well as other objects of the invention, will becomeobvious from the following description in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 is a front view of a golf club handle of this invention;

[0009]FIG. 2 is a top view of the club shown in FIG. 1;

[0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of two golf clubs;

[0011]FIG. 4 is a front view of a tennis racket;

[0012]FIG. 5 is a front view of a paddle ball racket;

[0013]FIG. 6 is a front view of a racketball racket;

[0014]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a baseball bat; and

[0015]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a polo mallet.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown the handle portion 10 ofa golf club. Handle 10 comprises an inner core, such as a central shaft12, a top 14, an outer handle 16, attached to shaft 12, and grip 18.Grip 18 is wrapped around handle 10. A baseball bat or a polo mallet maynot have a central shaft but may have only a solid handle. As shown,grip 18 is wrapped in a spiral, from the top 14 of handle 10 down handle10 to the desired distance, connected at the creases or seams, such as26 & 28. Grip 18 can also be a separate layer of material placed overhandle 10 and attached to handle 10 at only the top and bottom.

[0017] In the top 14 of handle 10 is an air valve 20 for theintroduction of air, which then passes through air duct 22 and out airhole 24. Air hole 24 is located in handle 10 but inside of grip 18. Grip18 is fastened to handle 10 in an air-tight manner at seams 26, 28, etc.as grip 18 is fastened in a spiral around handle 10. The central portion30 of grip 18, between the seams 26, 28, is wrapped around handle 10 sothat air entering between handle 10 and grip 18 can fill the space andpass down the spiral wrapping of grip 18 (as shown by the arrows) expandthe grip but not escape.

[0018] Air is introduced by placing an air needle into air valve 20 andthe use of a hand pump, air pressure pump, or by the use of a fingerpump, such as the one used on “Reebok Pump” basketball shoes. The fingerpump could be permanently attached to the top 14 of handle 10, ifdesired.

[0019] As air is introduced, the space between handle 10 and grip 18expands and may be stopped at any point desired by the player, so thatthe handle size may be adjusted to whatever circumference is desired. Anadditional benefit of the air grip of this invention is that it providesa cushioned surface, rather than the normal hard surface of standardhandles, which is easier on the hands and arms, results in lessvibration, and may well help to reduce hand and arm injuries.

[0020] Handle 10 is usually made of a durable rubber material and grip18 can be made of leather, vinyl, a layer of thin rubber material or anyother air-tight, expandable grip material that can be wrapped aroundhandle 10. The grip may be comprised of a long narrow strip of suchmaterial, which is spirally wrapped around the handle and sealed to thehandle only at the outer edges or seams of the strip, leaving spaceunder the grip for introduction of air. The grip may also be a thin,elongated, circular, solid piece of rubber, leather, vinyl or othermaterial, which is placed over the handle and sealed at the top andbottom only, leaving room under the grip for the introduction of airthrough air duct 22.

[0021]FIG. 3 shows two complete golf clubs, an iron 30 and a driver 32.Iron 30 has air grip 34 and driver 32 has air grip 36.

[0022]FIG. 4 shows tennis racket 38 with air grip 40.

[0023]FIG. 5 shows paddle ball racket 42 with air grip 44.

[0024]FIG. 6 shows racketball racket 46 with air grip 48.

[0025]FIG. 7 shows baseball bat 50 with air grip 52.

[0026]FIG. 8 shows polo mallet 54 with air grip 56.

[0027] If the player finds that too much air has been introduced intothe air grip, he or she can simply let air out and the circumference ofthe grip will deflate to the comfort of the player's grasp.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:
 1. A sport's implementhaving a handle, an adjustable air-tight grip attached to the handle,wrapped around the handle, an air valve in the handle, an air ductinside the handle between the air valve and the grip, for inflating thegrip to the size desired.
 2. The sport's implement of claim 1 in whichthe grip is spirally wrapped around the handle.
 3. The sport's implementof claim 1 in which the grip is an elongated solid piece of material,placed over the handle and sealed to the handle at the top and bottom ofthe grip.
 4. A sport's golf club, racket, bat or mallet having a handle,an adjustable air-tight grip attached to the handle, leaving spacebetween the handle and the grip, an air valve in the handle, an air ductinside the handle between the air valve and the grip, for inflating thegrip to the size desired.
 5. The device of claim 4 in which the grip isspirally wrapped around the handle.
 6. The device sport's implement ofclaim 4 in which the grip is an elongated solid piece of material,placed over the handle and sealed to the handle at the top and bottom ofthe grip.
 7. The device of claim 4 in which the grip is made of rubber,leather or vinyl.
 8. The device of claim 4 further comprising a pump forintroducing air into the air valve, said pump being attached to thehandle.
 9. A sport's golf club, racket, bat or mallet having a handle,an adjustable air-tight grip attached over the handle, but leaving spacebetween the handle and the grip, an air valve in the handle, an air ductinside the handle between the air valve and the grip, for inflating thegrip to the size desired, the grip attached to the handle in a mannersuch that no air escapes from the handle.
 10. The device of claim 9 inwhich the grip is spirally wrapped around the handle.
 11. The devicesport's implement of claim 9 in which the grip is an elongated solidpiece of material, placed over the handle and sealed to the handle atthe top and bottom of the grip.
 12. The device of claim 9 in which thegrip is made of rubber, leather or vinyl.
 13. The device of claim 9further comprising a pump for introducing air into the air valves saidpump being attached to the handle.
 14. The device of claim 10 in whichthe grip is attached to the handle only at the outer edges of the spiralstrip.